Getting more sleep often falls into the “easier said than done” category. It’s common knowledge that getting a good night’s rest is important for a variety of reasons. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports:

Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.

However, for many, it’s not that simple.

Stressed about a big project that’s due? If you go to bed obsessing over it, you’ll likely wake up with worry on your mind. Conversely, if you go to bed in a relaxed mood, you’re more likely to start the next day on a positive note.

The NIH says that the way you feel while you’re awake depends in part on what happens while you’re sleeping.

[O]ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk for some chronic health problems. It also can affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others.

One of the keys to going to bed in a relaxed state and getting the rest you need is your habit pattern in the crucial window before bedtime.

Here are seven tips that will help you with your before-bed routine. Use one — or a few of them — to get in the habit of resting well and living a happier life.

2. Make the Bedroom a Relaxation Haven

It’s much easier to sleep well in a comfortable environment, so make your bedroom as soothing as possible. Kathryn Grigg, the Creative Director for CRaVE Mattress, has 26 years of experience helping people get a better night’s rest:

Your bedroom is your sanctuary and it should have a relaxing atmosphere. Light wall colors, aromatherapy, and cool temperatures all help in creating the right environment for sleep.

4. Enjoy a Warm Cup of Tea

You of course shouldn’t eat anything substantial right before bed, but a nice cup of tea might add to a relaxing night of rest. Researchers have yet to conclusively prove that drinking non-caffeinated tea before bed improves sleep, but many people enjoy the ritual just the same:

A nightcap of chamomile tea or other non-caffeinated herbal tea is a soothing relaxer before bed.

If you’re looking to brush up on your research of tea to see which might be best for you, check out the Tea app on iOS.

For Android, the A Perfect Cup of Tea app is a simple timer that helps you brew the perfect cup, based on the type of tea. It also allows you to add custom teas.

5. Start Your Night Earlier

Powering down before bed can be a challenge if you’re trying to squeeze a lot of at-home activities into a busy night. One way to give yourself more time at night is to get home from work earlier — of course, that can get tricky if you have to commute.

Get a jump on the after-work traffic with Waze for Android and iOS, a community based traffic app that gives you the best route every day in real time. In addition to traffic, the app identifies police and accidents.

The INRIX Traffic app for both platforms also learns your driving habits and routes to help you plan your evening commute.